As we get older, our ability to accurately and rapidly extract information from the visual periphery is degraded, particularly under attentionally demanding conditions. This ability to efficiently process peripheral visual information, particularly under conditions of divided attention is referred to as the Useful Field of View (UFOV). Reduced UFOV performance in older adults is associated with poorer driving performance and more auto accidents. In addition to the relation between driving difficulty and reduced UFOV, the loss of efficient visual processing can result in myriad other functional deficits, including reduced activity levels (Roth, et al, 2003), reduced ability to perform activities of daily living and increased likelihood of falls. It has been shown that the UFOV can be expanded and the speed of visual information processing can be accelerated at any age with the appropriate training. The positive consequences of this UFOV training-induced performance improvement include improved health-related quality of life outcomes and improved ability to perform activities of daily living years after the training period.
Prior art programs for improving older adults' UFOV have been developed; however, these training programs are performed with the help of a facilitator, making them somewhat inconvenient and generally expensive, and generally have significantly limited functionality, particularly with regard to dynamic adaptivity and complexity.
Thus, improved systems and methods for improving visual divided attention of a participant are desired.